For some reason all my files have that mpg symbol next to them instead of the normal windows media player symbol. Now I can't play any of my video files. Plus, the same thing happens with the files that come up in my searches. Does anyone know how to fix this?

See Setting Default video app & apply WMP instead of VLC as that example shows.

I really hate resurrecting old threads but I haven't been able to fix this. Each of the solutions listed involves opening video files outside of LW, and I have no idea how to do this, as I'm not a very technical person. If someone could post a step-by-step way of solving my problem, they will have my eternal gratitude.

The easy way is to go to your LW library, click on Saved Files then click on Explore. That will open your saved folder (outside of LW). Now you can change your default player by right clicking on a file > open with > choose program > click on WMP > tick the box saying "always use this program to open files of this type" > ok.

Also make sure WMP is set to play mpg files. Go to WMP's Tools>Options>File types I think it is & make sure mpg or other video formats are ticked.